Final Fantasy: Gaia Returns
by bebedebroadway
Summary: A Final Fantasy:The spirits within sequel. THere was no final fantasy topic under movies. Aki struggles to cope with the loss of gray and strives to get his soul back. If people like the first two chapters, I'll add more.
1. Default Chapter

          Aki looked at the eagle soaring in the sky and back to the man lying in her arms.  She sadly remembered what she had told Gray.  _"It's waiting for life to return"  _

          Thanks to him, life had returned, but at what cost…

          Aki ran her fingers through Gray's hair.  She looked at him and could hardly hold back the tears that were welling in her eyes.

          She brought her hand to his wrist, even though she knew there wouldn't be a pulse anywhere on his cold body.  The Gaia of the Phantom's world had taken his spirit out the shell she held in her arms.

          Just as she expected, there was no pulse.  She shuddered and pulled Gray's body close.

          Dr. Sid had finally finished pulling them up on the lift.

          "Aki!" He rushed forward.  He saw her huddled over Gray, and stopped in his tracks.  "Oh… oh no…  I feared something was wrong."  He came forward slowly and knelt next to her.  "Aki… child, are you ok?"

          Aki nodded, looking at Dr. Sid.

          "He's?"

          Aki nodded again.  "Dead.  He…. He…"

          Dr Sid placed a hand on her shoulder.  "Hush, child.  I'll get him onto the ship.  It is imperative we contact the council as soon as possible to tell them what we have done.  There was also quite an explosion in the sky while you two were down there.  I want to find out what that was."  Sid picked up Gray and turned back to face Aki.  "Are you going to be alright?  Come aboard with me.  You should rest.  Then tell me what happened."

          She looked up at him and nodded.  She slowly pushed herself to her feet and followed him to the Black Boa.

            Aki went to her quarters on the small ship.  She lay down, and since she was curious, activated the dream recorder.  She then fell asleep.

            "It is good to hear that you have escaped unharmed from the failure of New York's shield, ladies and gentlemen of the council."  Started Dr. Sid.  "I have contacted you to let you know that, indeed, the phantoms have been eliminated from the Earth, but there was a high cost.  We—"

           "Yes, Dr. Sid, we know.  Some of the undeniable heroes have died in the process.  But the losses was not in vain,"

           "Yes."  Agreed Dr. Sid, thinking that the heroes the council acknowledged were Aki and Gray.

           "Dr. Sid.  The Zeus station exploded just before letting off the blast that rid the earth of the phantoms.  It is believed that all onboard died.  Including General Hein, one of the true heroes of the war."

          Dr. Sid thought for a moment.  "Really?  You truly believe it was the Zeus cannon that rid our world of the phantoms?"

           Aki was hanging from the ledge clinging to Gray's hand.  "Gray!  No!"

           "Aki…. You saved my life.  Let me help you."

           "Gray!"

           "I love you, Aki…" Aki watched again in horror as Gray stuck his hand into the Gaia of the phantoms's world, transferring his soul and the completed 7 spirits inside Aki into the Gaia. Thus mending the wrong that the Zeus cannon had done.

           Aki clung to Gray's spirit as long as she could, but it slipped from her hands and into the Gaia.


	2. 2

           Aki woke up with a start.  In the background the computer was registering that the dream had been successfully recorded.  "Gray….  Why…?"  She hesitantly got out of bed and headed for the bridge where she rationalized she would find Dr. Sid.  She desperately needed to talk to him. 

          "We don't believe the Zeus cannon to have eradicated the phantoms from the earth, we know it to be true.  We were monitoring the phantom numbers in the crater, and found that after the most powerful final shot from the Zeus cannon, the phantoms were eliminated."

          Dr. Sid looked to the ground in despair.  He could not bring himself to speak ill of the dead, and would not defame Gen. Hein even though he was misguided.  Sid breathed deeply and thought.  It was a while before he replied to the council.  "I am thrilled to hear of the Zeus cannon's victory.  I have a report to file to the council as soon as I have completed it.  With a heavy sigh, Dr. Sid ended the transmission just as Aki walked into the room.

          "Dr, what was that about?  What victory did the Zeus cannon have?"

          "Aki, dear…  you must listen to me.  The council believes it was the Zeus cannon's final shot that eliminated the Phantoms.  Let them think that.  I cannot bring myself to argue with the council.  I do not have the heart to tell them that they are wrong, that their 'savior' almost caused the destruction of the entire planet.  They are happy to believe that I was wrong all along.  Let them, child."

          "No!" Aki yelled back.  "It wasn't General Hein, or his damn Zeus cannon!  Why the hell should we let the council glorify the man who almost destroyed us!  It's his damn fault that Gray is…  that Gray…"  Aki turned away.

          "Aki." Dr. Sid spoke in a calming tone.  "I know what you felt… what you feel for Gray.  It's not Hein's fault.  He was a misguided soul.  He couldn't have imagined what the cannon caused down here…  He was trying just as hard as anyone to save his planet… his home.  You can't hold it against him, Aki…"

          Aki faced the man who had been her mentor and savior for so long.  "Dr Sid," she began, voice wavering between anger and sadness, "You talk about defaming Gen. Hein,  but you aren't being fair.  It is just as defamatory to let the council believe it was Hein, and not Gray who got rid of the Phantoms.  I for one will not let General Hein be recognized when it should be Gray, and Ryan, and Neil, and everyone else who should be remembered.  I _will not let Gray and the rest of the team slip from the world's history while Hein is remembered, even revered forever.  I **will not let that happen!"**_

          Sid looked at Aki with sadness showing on his aged face.  "You must get over your sorrow, and if that is what you must do to rest your heart, Aki, then rest assured, I will not stop you."

          "Dr. Sid," Aki said, looking solemnly into the eyes of the man who was like a father to her, "thank you." 

          The Black Boa landed on the outskirts of the Houston dome where curious children and adults were cautiously making their way out of the protective bubble they had lived in for so long.  

Aki walked off the ship and a small girl with blond pigtails and a ruddy face fan up to her and pulled on her hand.  "Excuse me, Miss," the girl said quietly, "but you're Aki, right?  I seen you on the TV talking to the council.  Did you kill the phantoms like you said you would?  Was it you who got rid of 'em?"

Aki looked at the girl, and thought for  while, then replied, "Yeah, it was me."

The little girl's brother came up and stuck his tongue out at Aki, "Na uh!  Yer lyin!  Don't listen to her, Lizi, she's lyin.  It was General Hein who killed 'em.  It's all over the TV.  Don't you ever pay attention, stupid?"

"SHADDUP!"  The little girl called back as her brother dashed away.  She turned back to Aki and smiled, "Don't worry.  I believe you."  The little girl gave Aki a daisy, hugged her, and then dashed off after her brother, calling, "Max, you get back here now and apol-apol—say sorry!"

Aki looked around.  All around her a brilliant warm sunlight filled the sky.  Flowers had already started blooming, and the open field was a lucious green.  Dr. Sid came up behind her, and put a hand on her shoulder.  "It's beautiful, isn't it, child?"

Aki nodded, speechless.  She felt an emptiness inside of her that shadowed all the beauty around her.  She missed Gray, but in a strange way, she missed the Phantom inside of her.  She missed knowing she held the fate of the world in her hand.  Her burden lifted, she felt unimportant, her insignificance was made worse by her longing for Gray.

_"Death is only the beginning." Gray's words hung in her head.  "__The beginning of WHAT?" She wanted to scream.  She felt like collapsing right there; she felt like laying down among the flowers and never getting up._

Dr. Sid must have read Aki's thoughts on her face because he shook his head sadly.  "You musn't think like that, child.  Aki,  you must honor Gray by staying alive and staying aware.  Death is only the beginning, child."

"_Death is only the beginning" _

"Dr Sid," Aki asked urgently, "what happens to the soul when someone dies?"

"Aki, you remember our theory.  Once the soul of the living leaves the body, it returns to the Gaia."

"Well, what if there is a way to channel that soul back into the body?"

"Aki!" Dr. Sid was taken aback.  "I don't want you dwelling on thoughts like that!  Think of the problem it would cause.  It's unnatural, and immoral.  Child, I don't think it's a good idea."

"Dr. Sid, please.  I think it could be done."

"Absolutely not!  I will not allow it.  This fixation of yours is not healthy.  Get it out of your head this instant."  Dr. Sid went back into the ship, leaving Aki sitting in the flowers watching the children play.


End file.
